Swine Flu Update - 13 July 2009
Please take five minutes to familiarise yourself with our latest information
Our key messages:
- Stay at home if you have flu like symptoms and feel very unwell (see symptoms list below).
- Find yourself some 'flu friends' in case you become infected
Current University position
We are continuing to operate a "business as normal" policy and working closely with NHS Bradford and Airedale, Bradford Council and others to ensure that plans to reduce the spread of flu are co-ordinated.
As the rate of infection from swine flu is now increasing, the following guidance may be helpful to staff regarding how to handle illness at this time.
What to do if . . .
You or one of your staff have flu like symptoms and feel very unwell
- If you are at work, speak to your manager then go home immediately. Your manager should send details to HR straight away via the swineflu@bradford.ac.uk email address.
- Please be aware that it is important to minimise the risk of spreading infection, by remaining in isolation as far as possible.
- Remain at home, monitoring your symptoms. Do not return to work until you are symptom free.
- Symptoms include
- Sudden onset of fever, cough or shortness of breath
- Other symptoms can include headache, sore throat, tiredness, limb or joint pain, aching muscles, diarrhoea or stomach upset, chills, sneezing, runny nose or loss of appetite
- If you are concerned that you may have swine flu, go online and take the NHS Direct Symptom checker (http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/) or call NHS Direct on 0845 4647.
- If you are still concerned, contact your GP who will provide a diagnosis over the phone.
- If swine flu is confirmed, ask a healthy friend or relative to visit your GP to pick up a document entitling you to antiviral medication.
- The friend will then need to pick the medication up at a collection point that the GP will advise on (a local pharmacy or similar)
- You should remain in contact with your manager to provide an update on your recovery progress (in accordance with the Managing Health Related Absence policy). The manager should then update HR via swineflu@bradford.ac.uk as we need to maintain an overview of the position within the university.
Managers have been asked to identify key activities that are essential for Business Continuity and to consider how these may be undertaken in the event of reduced staff levels.
Flu Friends
All staff and students are encouraged to develop "flu friends", healthy people who can collect food and medicines etc on your behalf should you become ill. Please consider anyone you know who lives alone and may be in need of help.
What to do if …
A member of staff reports to their line manager that they may have swine flu or that swine flu has been confirmed.
In addition to following the standard requirements of the Managing Health Related Absence Policy, Line Managers should immediately send their details to swineflu@bradford.ac.uk . This is a confidential email address managed by Human Resources.
Please include the following details:
- Name
- School, Directorate, Division, etc
- Current contact details (e.g. home and/or mobile phone number)
- Details given about treatment or contact with GP/Health Professionals)
- Date of last attendance at work.
If it is necessary for an employee to stay at home to look after their child or other dependents, it is recommended that they discuss this matter with their line manager in the first instance.
Line managers may exercise discretion in such circumstances by allowing staff to work from home (where appropriate) and to use annual leave, unpaid leave or a combination of these options.
The Health Protection Agency advise that everyone sticks to their normal routine unless advised otherwise. They also advise that children should attend school as normal unless they develop symptoms or the school has closed.
What to do if . . .
A student reports that they have been diagnosed as having swine flu.
In addition to advising them to stay at home and avoiding contact with people, please send their details to swineflu@bradford.ac.uk .
Please include the following details:
- Name
- School, Division, etc
- Current contact details (e.g. home and/or mobile phone number)
- Details given about treatment or contact with GP/Health Professionals)
- Details of last attendance at the University
Reduce the risk of catching or spreading flu
- Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. Use a tissue.
- Dispose of used tissues carefully.
- Wash your hands frequently with soap and water.
- Clean hard surfaces (e.g. worktops, door handles) frequently using a normal cleaning product.
Previous updates
All of our previous Swine Flu messages can be accessed from this page.
Catch it, bin it, kill it
